Since their debut in late 2007, Everything Everything have taken the indie rock world by storm, releasing four incredibly different, but consistently critically acclaimed albums. Having spoken to drummer Mike on the morning of the release of their latest work, the ‘A Deeper Sea’ EP, I took the chance to catch up with the group before their Summer Ball appearance. After a short wait due to a delayed train, we joined lead singer Jon and bassist Jez in the band’s dressing room, on the top floor of the grand Racecourse Pavilion.
“So why are you here?” My colleague Sophia’s opener may seem accusatory, but the question is a pertinent one. The Mancunians had recently completed a sold out UK tour, and their three days in the UK for Parklife and York’s Summer Ball appeared either side of a debut at Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Festival and then a trip back to the US for a brief mini-tour.
Jez smiles “We want to be where the young people are, because that’s where everything happens… they’re rambunctious, fun affairs”. Jon adds, jokingly “that’s really good for us, because we can make loads of mistakes and nobody cares”. Despite this, the band seem determined to put on a good show: “people here will remember this for the rest of their lives – we’ll play some songs we haven’t played for a while; the party set”.
Will they play anything from debut album ‘Man Alive’? “Maybe”, says Jon (they didn’t), “but we have to rehearse a lot… we have a bed of 20 or 25 songs that we can play at any time”. What about the new EP, how have they found the reception? Jez admits he had low expectations “We didn’t expect to be playing any of it, then we thought well we better play ‘Breadwinner’ because it’s been on the radio, that went down really well in America as well…” Jon butts in: “The wider reaction to ‘The Mariana’ was very good”.
‘The Mariana’ deals with the topic of mental health, which the band have continuously addressed over the years. I ask them what they would suggest to improve support in this country. “Ooooooh” exclaims Jon excitedly, before Jez jumps on the question. “Attitudes and legislation” he proposes, before Jon adds “and lots and lots of money” “there are cultural problems as well, especially with men, talking about it, realising that it’s there” “and noticing when someone is down as well, it can be very easy to hide it.”
So the band are clearly unafraid of tackling big issues. ‘No Reptiles’, for example, criticises gun violence and the warring nature of mankind: why do they take these issues on when other bands may ignore them? “We just talk about what’s on our minds” says Jon, and Jez is on the same page, as the pair finish each other’s sentences: “in that respect we’re the same as other bands” “I think some bands will shy away from talking about stuff which doesn’t directly affect them” “or which puts them outside the mainstream” “which is where we’ve always been” Jon concludes, amused.
Are they ever nervous to release songs which contain social commentary? “Sometimes”, says Jon, and Jez specifies: “with ‘No Reptiles’, we certainly thought “can we do this?”… we even sketched out alternative lines, but it was just neutering the song out of cowardice, so I’m really glad we didn’t and stuck to our guns.”
Sophia asks if since their EP success, they’re tempted to delve down that route rather than sticking to albums. Jon admits it is tempting, but the band are in that sense of the old school. Furthermore, as he points out in a typical tongue in cheek manner which was a feature of the interview, “until you guys die, people will still be listening to albums”. Jez compares the two formats: “the attractive thing about EPs is you don’t have to nail your whole identity for two or three years to it; that is also what makes albums attractive: they’re a snapshot of where that artist is at that moment in time.”
Despite the inevitable tiredness that comes with their tight schedule, the band seem in fairly good spirits. I inquire as to whether their recent return home to Manchester’s Parklife Festival was a reason for this – was it enjoyable to share a stage with A$AP Rocky, Bicep and Skepta – not their usual companions? “Manchester’s an eclectic place anyway – and Liam Gallagher was on the bill too. We’re halfway between him and Skepta” Jez quips. Jon continues “We’ve never really been ‘the thing’ anyway”. I suggest being outside the mainstream may have helped their career. “It’s certainly meant we don’t have to typecast ourselves because none of our records have been so popular they’ve become restrictive” Jon replies in his playful way. I wonder if their fanbase leads to a reverse pressure, but that too is rebutted: “the biggest pressure we’ve ever been under has been from ourselves” Jez ripostes, and Jon adds “we’ve self-censored a lot, but we’ve never had a song rejected by the fans.”
Sophia ponders which festivals they’re most looking forward to for the rest of the year. Both quarters of the four-piece agree that their return to the US will be good, as they enjoy playing to new crowds, but when given the choice between the new venues and the familiar, the band are undecided. “It’s all a privilege” says Jon, “sometimes you don’t need to go to Bristol Academy again though” Jez jests.
Finally, we ask the guys what their career highlights have been, and to that the duo reply simultaneously: “The Glastonbury’s we’ve done” “particularly the one we did around the time of ‘Get To Heaven’ because it was the day the album came out, we didn’t expect the reception we got and we were all in tears by the end – for the right reasons.”
Whilst we’re not sure if YUSU’s Summer Ball will rank as one of the band’s highest points, their set was certainly our favourite part of the night.
Alex West and Sophia Bonner are part of URY’s Music Team. If you’d like to join the team, email [email protected]
The full, audio version of Alex and Sophia’s interview can be found here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/URYMusic/everything-everything-summer-ball-interview/